YAMMAS.

 4 weeks in the South Aegean Islands, Greece. 

Naxos, Koufinissia, Amorgos, Santorini, Paros, Mykonos, Delos.

Paradise.

Take me back, please?

HAD ME A BLAST.

So, finishing University, graduating - (with a First i might add and still cant believe!) turning 22, job hunting, catching up with friends and summer travels have more than distracted me over the last couple of months.

I've had one of the best summers of my life which was the perfect conclusion to one of the best years of my life at university. 

Now, it's time to get serious. My friends and I are going off in different directions; starting internships, first jobs, planning ski seasons, moving to London and for one of my ex-housemates; having a baby.

My friend and I were discussing how scary finishing Uni is; our wholes lives have been mapped out for us since birth; nursery, primary school, secondary school, sixth form, university and then.....what? Suddenly you have to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. It's intimidating, nerve racking but also so exciting and I relish the challenge. I'm currently working full time at a Career Management company whilst saving and searching for Fashion internships and jobs. My plan is to take a 6month/year break to save, get industry experience and hopefully do some travelling before making the move down to London next year. Fingers crossed it all goes to plan. 

Heres to the future.

FINITO.

White shirt from my graduate collection. Photography by Danielle Carlyle. 

Its been a chaotic, stressful, heart attack inducing few months but I am happy to finally say, my graduate collection 'Sartorial Nights' is now complete. Hallelujah! 

After dealing with tutors leaving, fabric nightmares, organising events,15hour days, photoshoots and too many all nighters, the relief of having finished is unbelievable....but I am already missing the daily stressful routine! (glutton for punishment much?)

Now I've caught up with sleep and feel like a human being again, it's back to portfolio preparation for Graduate Fashion Week in London next weekend, photoshoots, website admin and trawling through blog posts I started and never finished. 

Oh, and I might squeeze in the Jubilee and my 22nd (ugh) birthday next week. Wish me luck.

ALL I SEE IS STARS.

My new Monica Vinader Slink bracelet set with Rose Quartz and Carnelian stones

The best thing you could have waiting for you when you get home after a horrific week of uni deadlines and reviews. Fact. 

Jewellery definitely buys my happiness and as my flatmate and I agreed, anyone that says packaging is underrated..is a fool.
It was a suede pouch, inside a box, inside a box, inside a box surrounded by purple tissue paper and neon pink string and it felt like Christmas all over again. I'm in love.

EYES LIKE WILDFLOWERS.

1. My studio space where I seem to spend most of my life at the moment

2. Street photography in London by Robert Frank, 1951

3. Tailored jacket toile with close up of the style line in the front piece

4. Summer sunset at my Dad's house...the colour inspiration for my collection is the last colours of the sky at sunset 

5. Shirt toile...inspired by a men's traditional dinner shirt 

6. Image of Italian men's street style by The Sartorialist / Marlene Dietrich

7. Front and back details of shirt

8. Image from 'African Queen' photo shoot in Harper's Bazaar December 2011 issue  

My inspiration and samples for Look One of my current collection which is titled 'Sartorial Nights'. 

CHANGE THE PACE.

Treasured possessions | Alder Hey Fashion Show at Palm Sugar, Liverpool October '11 | Model at Alder Hey Show wearing vintage | metallic nail varnish obsessions | Liverpool lights| beautiful new Topshop bag | Champagne afternoon tea for my best friends 21st | Christmas decorations | My Christmas dinner place setting

To say the first term of my Third year has been a bit hectic is a rather large understatement. Its been a whirlwind of research, making samples, essay writing, fashion shows, deadlines, birthdays, broken laptops, parties, fancy dress and broken cameras.

As always, time has flown by far too quickly, and somehow, Christmas time hit me square in the face swiftly followed by New Year, both of which I was completely unprepared for. 

The constant flow of dinner parties, drinks at country pubs, family visits and other festive activities kept me nice and busy before making a premature return to Uni to prepare for my upcoming huuuge deadline...so much work, so little time..as usual.

Now its a New Year which means new start and all that..2012 for me means, turning 22, graduating from university (oh god), leaving Liverpool and hopefully figuring out what I want to do in life and getting a job...i.e perhaps the scariest year of my life...